Detachable Container that Collects Handgun Shell Casings

ABSTRACT

The present invention consists of a container, made of fabric or wire-mesh netting, which attaches over a handgun&#39;s ejection port, and catches empty shell casings ejected when the weapon is fired. An opening at the bottom of the container, controlled by a drawstring and cord-lock, enables shells to be emptied without the need to detach the bag from the pistol&#39;s ejection port.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIORITY APPLICATIONS

This Application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/488,755, filed on Apr. 22, 2017, entitled Gun Attachment that Contains Ejected Shells, and is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is in the technical field of firearm accessories. More particularly, the present invention is in the technical field of ejected shell casings containers.

Conventionally, shell casings laterally ejected from pistols scatter within several feet of the firearm user, and are difficult to find and retrieve, if the firearm user attempts to do so at all. This can litter areas such as hunting grounds and shooting ranges, especially the outdoor variety. Occasionally, discharged shells hit firearm users or bystanders, sometimes causing fear, disorientation, or even injury and death.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a solution for containing ejected shell casings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is thus an object of the invention to provide a container that, while attached to the handgun's ejection port, collects all ejected shell casings.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a container that may be emptied without removing the container from the handgun to which it is attached.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a container that collects all ejected shell casings, therefore eliminating the need to find and retrieve them for disposal or recycling.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a container that collects all ejected shell casings, therefore eliminating injuries or fatalities related to ejected shell casings.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a container that may be conveniently attached to and detached from the handgun without the use of glues, nails, screws or bolts which might devalue or damage the handgun.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a light-weight container that eliminates the need for bulky plastic or metal mounts or housings that may affect the firearm's accuracy or fatigue the firearm user.

Accordingly, the present invention consists of a device or container, attachable to and detachable from a pistol's ejection port, which collects empty shell casings ejected when the pistol is fired. An opening at the bottom of the bag, controlled by a drawstring and cord-lock, conveniently enables collected shells to be removed without the need to detach the bag from the gun's ejection port.

The device is designed to work with many semiautomatic pistol makes and models with ejection ports on the top or right side of the handgun's slider. Representative examples of such pistols are the Ruger LC9s, Walther PPS, Sig Sauer P938, Glock 17, and Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9, which are sold through sporting goods suppliers and like outlets throughout the United States.

The present invention consists of a cloth or wire-mesh netting container that attaches to a handgun's ejection port with Velcro, and extends laterally to its right side or is tailored so as to not interfere with the trigger, grip or aim of the firearm.

The device holds several shell casings, depending on the weapon size and caliber, and may be emptied by loosening a cord-lock over both ends of a drawstring woven through its bottom opening—without the need to detach it from the firearm. The device may be attached and detached using the Velcro strips surrounding both the ejection port and lip of the device's front opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exemplary top view of a handgun's ejection port along with the opening or mouth of the containment bag;

FIG. 2 is a side-angle view of a handgun and the containment bag extending horizontally from the gun;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary depiction of the bottom opening of an exemplary embodiment of the containment bag;

FIG. 4 is a side view of an exemplary embodiment; and

FIG. 5 is an exemplary depiction of an adjustable attachment mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof. In the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here.

Referring now to the invention in more detail, FIG. 1 depicts a handgun barrel 12, a slider 14 coupled to barrel 12, a frame 16 supporting barrel 12 and a shell casing ejection port 18 where empty shell casings are discharged each time the handgun fires.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, four self-adhesive hook and loop fastening strips (e.g., Velcro strips) 110 are placed on all four sides of the rectangular ejection port. A top view of a container 100 opening shows a credit-card thin, durable plastic or cardboard lip 116 lined with four corresponding hook and loop fastening strips 112, with the device's interior shown in the background 114, through its opening.

In more detail, still referring to FIG. 1, the device opening defined by lip 116 covers the handgun's ejection port 18 and attaches to the gun using the two sets of hook and loop fastening strips 110 and 112. It is seen to be advantageous to utilize hook and loop fastening strips 110 as a fastening mechanism. Hook and loop fastening strips 110 make container 100 flexible and stowable in a compact fashion. Also, hook and loop fastening strips 110 make it so that container 100 may be easily and quickly removed. Further, the use of hook and loop fastening strips 110 make it so when attached and not in use, container 100, made of fabric, mesh, or netting will hang down loosely against the body of the handgun and out of the way for stowage in a holster, belt, pocket, or pouch.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a perspective view of the present invention is depicted. Container, opening 116 covers the pistol's ejection port 18 to capture shell casings expelled after the handgun's discharge. The back 22 of container 100 opens and closes with both ends of a drawstring 24 running through a plastic cord-lock 26. Alternatively, other fastening devices may be used, including but not limited to hook and loop fasteners, zippers, etc.

In FIG. 3, the container's bottom opening is shown 34. The drawstring 24 is woven through the bottom opening's lining 22, with both ends 32 running through the cord-lock in 2.6.

In FIG. 4, the lip of the device's opening or mouth 116 attaches to or over the pistol ejection port 18. The cylindrical neck 40 connects the device's mouth 11 to the device's body or container area 114, which collects empty shell casings 44. The device's bottom 22 is opened and closed using a drawstring 24 and held in place by the cord-lock 26.

Shell casings may be removed from the device by separating the Velcro strips, thereby detaching the lip of the device opening from the ejection port, or by unlocking the cord-lock and loosening the drawstring on the bottom of the device.

The lip of the device's opening in 116 is rectangular in shape to correspond to the shape of a pistol's ejection port, as in 18. The opening's dimensions may vary but, using the Ruger LC9s as an example, the opening is 2″ wide by 1″ high. The opening's lip is about ¼ of an inch wide so there's enough space to hold the Velcro strips along each side.

The device's shell casings container area may range in size, in various embodiments of the invention, to better fit various pistol calibers and categories (e.g., 9 mm, .380, compact and subcompact), but typical dimensions may range from 1 to 3 inches long for the neck, and 3 to 6 inches long with a circumference of 4 to 8 inches for the shell casings container.

Each embodiment of the invention should be sized to avoid interfering with the handgun trigger, or shaped, if comprised of malleable material, to avoid such interference.

The device container and neck may consist of any durable fabric, transparent or opaque, of any color, including camouflage or “hunter orange.” But in other embodiments of the present invention, material such as fish cloth or fine wire mesh netting may be used because such materials hold their shape and may be directed away from the handgun's trigger.

In one embodiment, the device's neck includes a light metal coil 42 that reinforces the tubular structure of the neck and serves as a buffer directing the device container laterally away from the attached handgun, thereby preventing said device container from interfering with the trigger or other parts of the handgun.

In another exemplary embodiment, partially depicted in FIG. 5, the four Velcro fastener strips lining the opening's lip 112 are adjustable 118. Each strip includes a shorter and thinner inner piece in a larger pouch with Velcro on one side. The inner strip moves up and down, as needed, until it fits over the ejection ports of different makes, models and calibers of handguns. A small catch piece 120 on top of the inner piece prevents it from being completely removed from the pouch. Once adjusted to fit the ejection port, the four Velcro fastener strips attach to their corresponding Velcro hook strips that line each side of the ejection port.

In another embodiment depicted in. 4, the neck is “L”-shaped rather than a small cylinder to account for ejection ports placed, not on the right side of the pistol's slider, but on the top as in some makes and models. The “L”-shape, containing one 90-degree angle, still allows the device container to be positioned to the right of the handgun, above the trigger. One end 46 of the L-shaped neck attaches to the top-mounted ejection port using the Velcro strips, while the other end 48 feeds into the device container.

The opening of the L-shaped neck that connects to the top ejection port must be large enough to allow shell casings to pass through the neck and end up in the container body, yet as thin as possible so as to minimally interfere with sighting the handgun, which also occurs on top of the handgun, along its slider and barrel. In such an embodiment, the neck could be made of transparent fabric or wire mesh netting to improve sighting or aiming the firearm.

In still another embodiment, the device's container or body, if opaque, may include one or more durable plastic windows to show how many shell casings are inside.

While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A shell casing containment apparatus for a handgun, comprising: a containment bag having a first open end and a second closeable end; at least one flexible attachment strip coupled adjacent the first open end of the containment bag, the flexible attachment strip configured to mate with a complementary second attachment strip coupled adjacent an ejection port of a handgun, the flexible attachment strip being removably engageable with the complementary second attachment strip, so that the containment bag is removable from the ejection port, the engagement of the flexible attachment strips causing the first open end of the containment bag to remain open and to cover the ejection port; and an opening and closing mechanism coupled to the second closeable end of the containment bag enabling the containment bag to be easily emptied of its contents of used shell casings.
 2. The shell casing containment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the containment bag comprises fabric.
 3. The shell casing containment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the containment bag comprises mesh.
 4. The shell casing containment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible attachment strip comprises hook and loop strips.
 5. The shell casing containment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible attachment strip comprises adhesive strips.
 6. The shell casing containment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the opening and closing mechanism comprises hook and loop strips.
 7. The shell casing containment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the opening and closing mechanism comprises a zipper.
 8. The shell casing containment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the opening and closing mechanism comprises a drawstring.
 9. A shell casing containment apparatus for a handgun, comprising: a containment bag having a first open end and a second closeable end; at least one of a hook or a loop strip coupled adjacent the first open end of the containment bag, the hook or loop strip configured to mate with a complementary hook or loop strip coupled adjacent an ejection port of a handgun, the hook or loop strip being removably engageable with the complementary second attachment strip so that the containment bag is removable from the ejection port, the engagement of the hook or loop strips causing the first open end of the containment bag to remain open and to cover the ejection port; and an opening and closing mechanism coupled to the second closeable end of the containment bag enabling the containment bag to be easily emptied of its contents of used shell casings.
 10. The shell casing containment apparatus of claim 9, wherein the containment bag comprises fabric.
 11. The shell casing containment apparatus of claim 9, wherein the containment bag comprises mesh.
 12. The shell casing containment apparatus of claim 9, wherein the opening and closing mechanism comprises hook and loop strips.
 13. The shell casing containment apparatus of claim 9, wherein the opening and closing mechanism comprises a zipper.
 14. The shell casing containment apparatus of claim 9, wherein the opening and closing mechanism comprises a drawstring.
 15. A method of operating a handgun, comprising: coupling a first end of a shell casing containment bag using a hook and loop fastener to the ejection port of the handgun; firing the handgun; capturing used shell casings in the containment bag; opening a second end of the shell casing containment bag, the second end being held closed by a bag closure; and emptying the shell casing containment bag.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the opening comprises separating hook and loop strips.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the opening comprises opening a zipper.
 18. The method of claim 15, wherein the opening comprises moving cord lock coupled to a drawstring.
 19. The method of claim 15, further comprising: removing the shell casing containment bag from the handgun by separating the hook and loop fastener.
 20. The method of claim 15, further comprising: reclosing the shell casing containment bag after emptying. 